Roller construction



5. HLVHUFFERD ETAL 2,284,421 I ROLLER CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Sept. 9, 1940 050205 b. Hafiz-Tea.

' 2.28am: nounn oons'rnoerrion .fieorge H. Huflerd and Matthew F. Graham, Kietroit, Mich, assignors to @wliord moor 1c an any, Detroit, Mich, a corporation oi Qril application September 9, 194%), Seriai No; 355,996. Divided and this application March 8, 19%1, Serial No. 332,312

6 Claims. (or. 16-40?) This invention relates to a roller construction especially adapted for use in upward actinggarage doors.

More particularly, this invention relates to ball be understood that the rollers of this invention can be used wherever ball bearing wheels or her:- ible ball bearing roller constructions are desirable. i

According to this invention a hub member is. provided with a circumferential groove to form an inner race ring for a row of ball bearings. A

pair of opposed metal rings housethe ball bearings and provide an outer race ring. A resilient body member of rubber or other resilient material partially envelops the metal rings housing the ball bearings to hold the same in assembled position. A metal tire surrounds the rubber body member to provide a tread for the roller. The

metal tire preferably has a segmental circular cross section to envelop the sides of the rubber body member, thereby partially encasing the rubber'and pressing the same to insure theautomatic wear take up of the outer race'ring parts.

The rollers of this invention are readily assembled from inexpensive constituent parts and the hub members preferably have an additional circumferential groove to cooperate with a retainer for holding the hub on the pintleof a hinge while at the same time permitting limited longitudinal shifting of the hub on the pintle.

It is, then, anobject of this invention to provide a'roller construction having a metal hub and a metal tread member separated by a flexible body member.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a wheel or roller construction with anti-friction elements between the tread and hub automatically held in proper bearing position by a resilient body portion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a roller having a metal tire or tread encasing a rubber body member to flexibly hold outer race ring parts.

A further specific object of the invention is to provide a wheel or roller construction includinga row of ball bearings disposedaround the hub of the wheel and housed in a flexibly mounted outer race ring. A general object of the invention is to provide rollers or wheels thatcan be quickly assembled from inexpensive parts to provide independent units adapted. to flex. between their treads and hubs. o

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious from the following description ofthe annexed sheet'of dr'awingswhich, by way of example, illustrates preferred the invention.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one form of a wheel or roller according to thisinvention. Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken along the line II--H of Figure 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line III-11! of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through a metal cup member used to form the.

tire or tread of rollers according to this invention.

Figure 5 is avertical cross-sectional view of a rubber bushing used to form the body part of a modified form of roller according to'this invention.

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through a pair of mated stamped sheet metal I members used to provide an outer race ring for the rollers of this invention.

Figure '7 isa vertical cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, showing the assembly of a row oi balls in one of the members shown in Figure 6 disposed around a hub of the rollers of this invention.

Figure 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through a modified form of roller builtup from the parts illustrated in Figures 4 to '7 and showing in dotted lines the manner in which the tire cup of Figure 4 is bent around the bushing of Figure 5 to complete the tire and encase the bushing.

Figure 9 is a plan view of a hinge construction having a rollerof this invention mounted thereon and illustrating a retainer member for the roller partially in vertical cross-section;

' Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view takenalong the line X-X of Figure 9 Figure 11 is a vertical cross-sectional viewtaken along the line XI-XI of Figure 9.

As shown on the drawing.

In Figures 1 and 2 thereference numeral It I designates generally one form of roller according to this invention. The-roller H! is composed of a cylindrical metal hub ll having a circumferential groove 12 therearound receiving a row of balls 13.

.A pair of mating stamped metal disks M are centrally apertured as at I5. The apertures l5 are larger than the externaldiameter of the embodiments of sure tending to close hub II so that the disks M will be in spacedrre lation from the hub. Each member ll has a 'dished side wall It oi-segmental spherical contour extending from the aperture iii to an outturned flat flange or rim I1. 1'

' The members ll can be readily stamped from sheet metal by a simple stamping and punching 'operation which cuts circular disks from the" sheet, holds the rims of the disks, cuts out the apertures iiand presses the side walls It into the dished shape.

The metal members It are disposed in opposed relation around the row of balls II and form a housing or outer race ring for the balls. The side walls It of the members I! are sized so that when they bear against the balls IS, the flanges rubber-ring i9 is disposed over the members I I with the flange ll of the members seated in th groove 2| of thering.

The rubber ring I! forms the body part 'of the roller.

A metal tire or tread member 23 is disposed around the semi-circular periphery 2| of the ring I! and houses the ring. Thetire 23 is held by the ring I! in spacedrelation from the hub II and the ring I 9 only partially covers the members ll as best shown in Figure 2.

. The tire 23, by virtue of its semi-circular crosssection, urges the rubber inwardly to close the in that the rubber body member lia does not provide an automatic wear take-up for the race ring members ll. In this modification the rubber ring It holds the flanges ll of the members ll in contacting engagement. The ring Isa has a somewhat narrower groove 20a than the groove 2lland, in addition, has inner walls 22a on each side of the groove in spaced relation from the curved side walls It of the ring parts.

The balls II in the roller Ila can besmaller than the balls in the roller I 0 so as to permit full contacting relation between the flanges I I of the members II or the curved side walls I! of the members can be sizedto flt around balls of the same diameter as in the roller I. while, at the same time, permitting engagement between theirflangesl'l.

The hub of the roller IOa can have one end thereof flush with one side of .the tire 23 as in Figures 1 and 2 while the other end can project from the other face of the tire for a distance 24a substantially greater than the distance 2l-illustrated in Figure 2.

The rollers of this invention are readily assembled as indicated in Figures 4 to 7 which illustrate the assembly of the roller Ila.

In Figure 4 a stamped metal cup member has a flat cylindrical side wall 2| 1 defining an groove 20 thereby maintaining the members It a in proper bearing relation with the row'of balls ll. This action constantly tends to close the gap l8 between the flangesl'l of the outer race ring part and provides an effective automatic wear take-up to compensate for wear' developed during movement of the anti-friction elements on their metal bearing surfaces.

The ring I 9 can, if desired, be formed from a cylindrical rubber tube or. sleeve deformed by the tire into the desired shape for exerting a presthe gap l8 between the race ring parts.

The hub I I is preferably longer than the width of -the tire 22 and the groove l2 in the hub is formed closer to one end than to the other for holding the hub ll substantially flush with one opening '32 large enough to slip the member 2| over the rubber ring lta. The sidewall 3| is inturned as at 32 to provide a curved end wall having the contour of the external periphery of the bearing ring "a and providing a reduced opening. materially smaller than the diameter of the ring l9a.

- The ring lid is molded as shown in Figure 5 to provide the internal groove 20a, the internal edge of the tire and for projecting'the hub as at 24 beyond the other face of the-tire. The projecting portion .24 has a circumferential groove 2! cut therein for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The rubber. ring It provides a resilient body member between the metal tire 23 and the hub H permitting flexing of:the tire relative to the the door, the tire can maintain full contact with the track in a distortedposition without binding the anti-friction elements or causing excessive wearon the door mounting for the hub II. The rubber ring I! thus affords a flexible body for the roller construction and, in addition, provides an automatic wear take-up on the bearing parts.

Theroller lta illustrated in Figure 8 differs from the roller ll illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 side walls 22a and theexternal wall 2la cylindrical cross section.

The race ring parts ll shown in Figure 6 are stamped from sheet metal as described above.

One of-the members II is slipped over the hub II as shown in Figure'l, a row of balls I: is mounted inthe member I, and the member I4 is positioned so that the balls will be seated in the groove l2 of the hub. The other member I4 is then disposed around the balls to house the same, the rubber ring I 9a is then stretched so as to seat the flanges II of the members II in the groove 20a thereof, and the cup member 30 is slipped over the rubber ring as illustrated in Figure 8. The flat cylindrical wall 3| of the member 30 is next die-pressed inwardly to complete the tire 22 so that it will have'a semi-circular cross section as illustrated in Figure 8.

v The roller-shown in Figures 1 and 2 is made from identical parts with the rubber ring I 9 shaped slightly differently from the ring Isa.

The roller I ha shown in Figure 8 has all of the advantages of the roller Ill shown in Figures 1 and 2 with the exception of the automatic wear take-up feature. However, in theroller Ila, the balls I! can have a freer rolling action in the of semiouter race ring parts.

In Figure 9 the reference numerals I and I designate adjoining panels or sectionsof a sectional type upward acting door. The panels 40 and ll have their adjoining ends in abutting relation as at 42. but are hingedly connected by means of a hinge 43 so that the door panels can articulate relative to each other as the door 4 moves from vertical closed position-to horizontal overhead open position.

'I'hehinge 43 comprises a plate or leaf 44 secured to the door panel ll and a leaf 45 secured l8 and 49 straddling the knuckle 41 as shown and overlapping the door panel 40. The knuckles 47, 68 and as provide aligned cylindrical journals for a-hinge pintle 50 which swivelly connectsthe leaves 44 and 45.

The pintle 50 extends beyond the sides of the leaves 44 and 45 as at Still and 501)..

As best shown in Figures 10 and 11, the pintle 50 has a localized reduced diameter portion intermediate its ends seated in the knuckle 59. A portion of the knuckle 49 is cut and depressed to provide a kerf 52 abutting the shoulders 53 formed at the ends of the reduced portion 5i.

In assembling the hinge leaves 44 and 35 the pin 50 is inserted through the knuckles 41, 581

and i9 and the kerf 52 of the knuckle 49 is then depressed. into the reduced portion 5! of the pin for preventing longitudinal movement of th pin. The end portion 50a of the pin projects hein the tracks even though the tracks are not fully aligned withthe door edges.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A roller or wheel construction comprising a cylindrical hub, anti-friction elements rotatable around said lfiib, a pair of spaced opposed outer race rings housing said anti-friction elements, a

yond the side edges ofthe panels ll! and Al as I shown and slidably receives the hub ll of a roller id or We shown in Figures 1 to 8. The hub Ii has an easy fit on the end tfla of the pin so that it can slide on the pin.

'Ihegrooved portion 25 of the hub is disposed between the treadof the roller and the side edges. of the panels 58 and M and receives an-eye end 64 of a still wire 55. The wire 35 extends across the inner face of the hinge 3 and has another eye end 56 loosely disposed around the projecting portion 58bv of the pin 5%.

The eye ends 56 and 56 are spaced apart for a distance greater than the length of the hinge t3 and are bent at right angles to the main body of the wire 55. Thus the bulb H can slide on the projecting end 504; of the pin an away from the door panels 40 and ti until the eye 58 abuts the outer edge of the knuckle 459 as shown in dotted lines. This wire mounting 55 thus provides a shiftable retainer for holding the hub ll on the end portion 50a of the pin 50 while at the mounted on the hinge and held in shiftable relation thereon by an inexpensive wire retaining means. which is readily snapped onto the pro- Jecting ends of the pintle pins.

Of course the wire could be replaced with any other type of forged or cast straddling memher having eye ends with one end loosely fitted metal bearing parts.

single resilient body member urging said race rings together, and a metal tire encasing said resilient body member.

2. A roller construction comprising a hub,.a pair of mated shells assembled on the huband forming therewith a ball race, anti-friction elements between the hub and pair of mated shells holding said shells in spaced opposed relation, a one-piece resilient rubber ring encompassing said shells, and a metal tread surrounding said rubberring whereby said shells will be urged together to automatically compensate for wear.

3. A hubbed roller construction with a rigid of metal shells together forming arrouter race ring, anti-friction elements disposed between the tubular member and the shells, said shells having peripheral flanges, a resilient rubber ring having an internal groove encompassing said shells and directly receiving said flanges in the groove thereof to urge the shells together, and a metal tread covering said rubber ring.

4. A roller construction comprising a tubular member providing an inner raceway for antifrictlon elements, a pair of opposed mating shells providing an outer race ring foranti-friction elements, said shells having flat peripheral flanges, a resilient rubber ring having an internal groove directly receiving said flanges, to resiliently hold the mating shells in operative position, and an annular U-shaped tire encompassing said rubber ring.

5. A roller comprising a hub having a circumferential groove providing an inner race ring, a pair of spaced opposed mating shells surroundinglsaid hub and providing an outer race ring, a row of ball bearings in said groove housed in said shells, and a resilient ring encompassing said shells to urge the same toward each ,other and provide a iiexlble body for the roller.

6. A roller construction comprising a circumferentially grooved cylindrical member providing an inner race ring, a pair of spaced opposed mating shells providing an outer race. ring, said shells having outturned flanges, a row of ball bearings, between the shells and member holding said flanges in spaced relation to provide a gap therebetween, and an internally grooved resilient roller body member directly receiving said .flanges in the groove thereof and urging the same together for decreasing said gap therebetween to compensate for wear on the GEORGE H. HUFFERD. MATTHEW P. GRAHAM. 

